Gry Stene

AI, Inclusion & Tech Innovation Speaker.
Neurospicy, People-Centred, Impact-Driven.
Dynamic keynotes, immersive workshops and strategic advisory sessions on AI, Inclusion, Digital Transformation and People-Centred Leadership.
Creating real connection between people and technology. Helping leaders harness tech with ethics, celebrate differences, and build futures where everyone thrives.
Topics:
How to Lead AI That Reflects Your Humanity
Ethical AI starts with us, and the way we “parent” our algorithms today shapes the world we’ll live in tomorrow.
Why Most Digital Transformation Fails – and How to Make Yours Work
We don’t need more tech. We need tech that fits the humans it serves. Practical, people-first strategies to deliver lasting change.
The Cost of Invisibility: Why Being Seen Is Every Leader’s Strategic Edge
When talented leaders go unseen, organisations lose out – we all do. This is your guide to standing out, claiming your space, and helping teams tap into hidden strengths.
Celebrating Differences: Why Inclusion and Difference Fuel Innovation and Impact
Your team’s greatest edge and your organisation’s biggest impact comes from the brains and backgrounds that don’t follow the script, but blaze their own path.
See Gry In Action
Step into Gry’s world: bold stories, fresh perspectives, and real-world impact through tech that puts people first.
Beyond the Stage: Real Change, Real Impact
Whether you need an energising keynote, a strategy session to future-proof your team, or coaching for underestimated leaders — here’s how we can work together.
Keynotes & Conversations
Energising, thought-provoking keynotes that bridge people and technology. Gry’s sessions spark fresh thinking on AI, innovation, inclusion, and the future of work—always with a human-first, values-led edge. Audiences walk away smarter, braver, and ready to lead change with courage and clarity.
With trademark high energy, rebel humour, and metaphor-rich storytelling, Gry cuts through tech overwhelm and leaves every room inspired to take action. If your event needs both bold ideas and real-world wisdom, you’re in the right place.
AI & Innovation Workshops
Hands-on innovation workshops and strategic consulting that unlock creativity, drive inclusion, and future-proof your team. Gry combines 30+ years of tech leadership with practical frameworks to help you rAIse IT right™—building digital strategies that actually work for people.
From ideation to implementation, Gry’s consulting turns big-picture visions into measurable impact. Whether you need a spark for your next project or a roadmap for digital transformation, you’ll get clarity, momentum, and an ally who cares about results.
Mentoring & Coaching
Personalised coaching and mentoring for women and underestimated leaders ready to grow with confidence. Gry helps you step into your strengths, own your story, and create the impact you’re truly capable of—without the burnout or overwhelm.
With decades of experience coaching diverse, talented people in tech and business, Gry is your champion for visibility, freedom, and thriving on your own terms. Ready to move from stuck to seen? Let’s start.
Powering our future with AI & STEAM
In October 2018, I was fortunate to give a talk at the TEDxUWA Turning Points event where I shared my vision for a future powered underpinned by technology and a diverse and inclusive culture through STEAM.
As AI, bots and other technologies infiltrate our lives and become a prominent part of decisions and the way we do things, many of us wonder if we have jumped on a runaway train where we have no control.
In this talk, I share my optimism and vision for a future that is underpinned by diversity and a real connection between people and technology.
I firmly believe we need to inject Arts and Humanities into the STEM landscape to create the STEAM required to power our future. We need to ensure that we have not only technical expertise, but compassion, critical thinking, creativity, languages, focus on quality, subject matter expertise and a collaborative mindset to ensure that we have the diversity that is required to create humane and meaningful technologies.
Building on the ideas and vision from this talk, I have set up a social enterprise, STEAM Engine Global, to bridge the gap and build career pathways. We design and deliver programs that inspire and empower people who are underrepresented in tech to discover their potential in a digital world and work with organisations to create diverse and innovative cultures that foster innovation.
What is a Tech Whisperer?
Because I sit somewhere between the real geeks, the designers, the users, the management team and the customers, it has always been challenging to explain to people what I do.
I have used ‘Universal Translator’, ‘Babelfish’ (for those who are familiar with Douglas Adams’ ‘Hitchiker’s Guide to the galaxy’ books), ‘Orchestrator’ and ‘Tech Muse’, but none really captured the essence of what I do until a friend recently suggested ‘Tech Whisperer’. Nailed it!. And guess what… everyone seems to get it.
In essence, I translate between business and technical speak and manage the process between tech and business in general so that we develop the right technology on time and on budget.

How might I help you?
Need help finding your feet in the tech/IT world?
Many of us feel alienated and undervalued in the tech industry. If we don’t spend our entire lives in front of a computer, whether that is in the workplace, gaming or programming in the latest tech at home because it’s cool. We find it hard to relate to the majority of the tech-heads who are predominantly young, introverted men.
So, if you identify as a woman, over 30, or maybe from a different cultural background, it can be difficult to be heard.
When I started out in tech, I didn’t really notice too much. I thought it was kind of cool to be the only girl programmer – and extrovert. The sad thing is, it hasn’t changed much. In Australia today, we are back to the levels of the 1980’s.
I use my own journey to help guide women, youth and other underrepresented people through the pathways and pitfalls in the tech industry. The diversity is sorely needed to ensure we develop humane tech.
Looking for a perspective on diversity, inclusion & STEAM?
We have a major challenge in the tech industry. Most players in the technical roles are young, male, and introverted. Like most people, they prefer to hang around with people like themselves, share experiences.
If we are going to have any chance of shaping our future, we need to bring other skillsets into the mix. There is a lot of focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) as skills of the future. However, the thing that is often missing when developing technology, is the compassion, the artistry, the languages & communication, the collaboration, the creativity, the focus on doing things right. We need to bring the Arts into the STEM landscape to create STEAM.
I am available for keynotes, panel discussions and other forums focused on diversity.
Are you asking why technology & IT has to be so complex?
Entrepreneurs & business owners often struggle to get their IT systems and technology developed. Where do I start? Who can help me? What is it that I need? How much should I pay? What will I get for it? When will my app be ready? Is the timeline going to blow out? What happens when it is ready? What if I think of something new? What if I don’t like it? Is it going to cost extra to fix? What do all the technologies mean? Will I be dependent on them forever?
I work with my clients to help them validate their idea, walk in their customers shoes, articulate what it is that they need, collaborate with and manage the developers on behalf of my client, and help source the right team for the job.
Do you want to streamline for product innovation?
One of the major challenges in developing technology is to get the right mix of people, technology, processes and culture. And the solution is different for every organisation.
Throughout my career, I have put in place processes that have created innovative products & solutions across industries and geographies. I have serviced every type of organisation including my own tech startups, major software conglomerates like Oracle, transport & logistics organisations like Wallenius Wilhelmsen lines, manufacturing leaders like AMCOR and Carlton United Breweries, as well as orchestrating the teams to deliver the next generation Primary Care for Telstra Health.
I immerse myself with the team to create the best culture.
About Gry
Gry Stene is an internationally recognised AI and innovation consultant, keynote speaker, and award-winning entrepreneur – affectionately known as The Tech Whisperer for her unique ability to create real connection between people and technology.
With over 30 years of experience in the tech industry, Gry has led innovation across diverse sectors and cultures, helping organisations – from start-ups to global conglomerates – harness technology for inclusive, people-centred impact. She is the creator of the rAIse IT right™ framework, a practical, values-driven approach to ethical AI and digital transformation.
Gry is the founder of STEAM Engine Global and runs a global online community for women in technology, IT Girls Rock. She previously co-founded and ran of KinChip Systems, a digital health company and has honed her skills with Telstra Health, Oracle, Gemcom (now Dassault), Wallenius Wilhelmsen Lines, Viewlocity (now Axway), Moodle and more.
She holds a BSc (Hon) Computation from The University of Manchester and an MBA from The University of Western Australia.
She connects globally and lives in Walyalup-Fremantle, Western Australia.
What People Say
Gry built the product management team from scratch. She was always focused on improving the way things were done, and looking for opportunities for improvement. She has a knack for identifying problem areas, whether technical or organizational. She has tremendous drive and energy and was always pushing hard to get work done, and done better.
With Gry’s strategy and support, I built Future Face AI into a world-leading company. Her IT Girls Rock initiative also expands her mission to unite and support women globally, creating safe spaces to share challenges and learn from peers.
I loved the concept of training an apprentice and making the technology reflect you. I did not realise that Chat GPT was programmed to agree with you or the importance of questioning the info provided. I’m excited to explore & learn further.
Gry is a powerhouse committed to making the world a better place. Her visions are bold and ambitious, and she sets about delivering on them with dedication.
Gry Stene is a dynamic speaker known for her thought-provoking presentations on ethical AI, inclusive innovation, and people-centred digital transformation. Her conference talks blend deep technical expertise with lived experience, storytelling, and a strong focus on equity and belonging. At THETA, Gry challenged the audience to think of AI not just as a tool, but as something we are “raising”, shaping its development with ethical and inclusive values.
Gry brings her high energy, rebel humour, and metaphor-rich storytelling. Her sessions leave audiences feeling inspired, empowered, and ready to lead change with courage and clarity
I had the pleasure of working with Gry for five years. Her energy, enthusiasm and knowledge were an asset to all the projects on which we collaborated. Gry is an excellent team builder and facilitator, bringing people and ideas together to solve problems and achieve goals.
Gry’s resilience and agility shine in complex projects, where she adapts quickly to unforeseen challenges while keeping teams engaged. She brings innovative thinking, challenges assumptions, and turns ideas into practice. At the DHCRC she also chaired expert webinars, adding strategic value and thought leadership.
Find Your Voice.
Stand Your Ground.
Shape Your Future.
Make an appointment now so we can explore how we can apply technology to address your current challenges, whether that is in business, as an individual or you would like to get me involved in an event.